i know the general done thing in fics is to have jgy be very cynical about his dad from day 1 but like. i don’t think that is my read actually. i think he really loved his dad. the “i will do anything for you” behavior wasn’t just so he could stay on his good side or gain influence, it was because he wanted any scrap of affection or affirmation from his dad that badly. idk. i am thinking about this in connection with nmj. it hurts worse if he maintains a slightly unhinged devotion to them up until nmj kicks him down the stairs and his dad says “hahaha. forget about it.” and he wouldn’t have gone as far outside of the realm of reasonability when killing them if he wasn’t so insanely hurt because. he loved them. he did ridiculous, insane things to show them that. and none of it mattered because in the end hedidn’t matter and no action on his part could change that. but they were just going to let him keep busting his ass to earn something they had no intention of ever giving him.
cql is flawed in various ways but one thing I absolutely love and think was well crafted is the portrayal of jiang cheng. because jiang cheng has all the set-up of an antagonist and potential villain: he has low self-esteem and is less skilled than his (clan) brother. he’s constantly reminded of his insecurities by his mother and by lack of closeness with his father. he’s short-temper. he thinks about his own clan first. even his looks (portrayed by the wonderful wang zhuocheng) and expressions have him grimacing or frowning or scowling–qualities attributed to villain types.
jiang cheng in cql was set up to be seen as a villain right from the beginning–known as the one who will kill his brother–and so we keep thinking that jiang cheng is going to have that One Moment where he’s fed up and finally turns against wei wuxian. we think it’s the scene in the forest after jiang yanli stands up for wei wuxian and jiang cheng comes in late, and then overhears other clans talking shit about jiang clan. we think it’s the moment jiang cheng and wei wuxian fight and cut off ties. we think it’s the death of jiang yanli that finally turns jiang cheng to kill his brother.
and here’s is where i think cql did fantastic: that critical turning point, that cliff scene, is everything. the focus isn’t only about lan wangji holding on tightly to wei wuxian. we were already shown that in the beginning of the drama and so that itself isn’t the surprise. (for lan wangji and wei wuxian, it’s about the depth of wangji’s despair and regrets for “failing” wei wuxian.)
the surprise that no one expected is jiang cheng’s hesitance–his tears!–and then him not following through for what he’s famous for: killing wei wuxian. he stabs a rock. he exchanges a hard but complicated stare with wei wuxian, who is the one who chooses to let go.
this layer of complexity, this lie that the cultivation world believes but only the three of them knows the truth, makes jiang cheng such an incredibly great character for he is not a complete villain but also not a likeable traditional hero, he is a flawed complex character.
now, i think cql was flawed in not showing more jiang cheng scenes after the return to the present, especially after wen ning tells the truth about his core. i wished we could’ve seen a scene of jiang cheng desperately trying to get someone to pull it out and his depth of despair as he comes to the truth–and we see hints of his grief not only about misunderstanding wei wuxian and being upset at wei wuxian for all these secrets, but also about his own secret…
i think that would’ve made for a smoother transition to the ultimate reveal that jiang cheng was the one who saved wei wuxian first.
